Prices & value
iPhone vs Android resale value in India
The resale gap between iPhones and Android phones is real, but it is narrower at the top of the Android range and wider at the bottom than most people assume.
What retention actually means
Retention is the share of the original launch price a phone still commands as a used device. A phone that launched at ₹80,000 and sells for ₹40,000 after two years has retained 50%.
It matters more than the rupee figure, because it is the only way to compare a ₹15,000 phone with a ₹1,50,000 one. And it is the number that decides whether an expensive phone was actually expensive.
The two-year picture in India
| Segment | Typical 24-month retention | What drives it |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone (Pro models) | 55–65% | Long iOS support, strong refurbished demand, tight supply |
| iPhone (standard/e models) | 45–55% | Same support, larger supply |
| Samsung flagship (S/Z) | 40–50% | Seven-year update policy, strong brand recall |
| Google Pixel | 35–45% | Long support, thinner used market in India |
| OnePlus / mid-flagship | 30–40% | Fast successor cycles |
| Budget Android under ₹15,000 | 20–30% | Short support windows, heavy new-phone discounting |
Indicative bands from live buyback ceilings; individual models vary with condition and storage.
The pattern is consistent: retention tracks how long the phone will keep receiving updates, because that is what a second owner is really buying.
Why iPhones hold value
Three reasons, in order of size. Software support — an iPhone from five years ago still receives updates, so it is still a usable daily phone rather than a spare. A deep refurbished market — there is an established buyer for every generation, which puts a floor under prices. Predictable supply — one launch a year, in a known window, so the market never floods unexpectedly.
None of that is about the logo. A Samsung flagship with a seven-year update promise behaves increasingly like an iPhone in the used market, and the gap between them has narrowed noticeably.
Where Android wins anyway
Retention is not the same as cost of ownership. A ₹25,000 Android phone that retains 30% costs you ₹17,500 over two years. A ₹1,20,000 iPhone that retains 60% costs you ₹48,000 over the same period. The iPhone held its value better and still cost nearly three times as much to own.
If you keep phones for four or five years, retention matters less again — everything converges towards parts value eventually. Retention rewards people who upgrade often, which is exactly who tends to care about it.
How to use this when buying
- Check the manufacturer's stated update window before buying, not the spec sheet. It is the strongest predictor of what you will be paid later.
- Prefer the storage tier one step above the base. It costs a little more new and holds a disproportionate share of it — see how storage affects resale price.
- Keep the box and the bill from day one. On a flagship they are worth thousands at resale.
- Decide your upgrade rhythm honestly. If you keep a phone for four years, buy for durability rather than retention.
You can sanity-check any of this against live numbers: our Apple price list and Samsung price list show what each model is worth today.
Frequently asked questions
- Which phone brand has the best resale value in India?
- Apple, consistently, with Pro iPhones retaining the largest share of their launch price at two years. Samsung flagships are closest behind, helped by a long update commitment.
- Do iPhones depreciate less because they cost more?
- No — retention is measured as a percentage, so price is already accounted for. iPhones retain a larger share because of long software support and a deep refurbished market, not because of the sticker price.
- Is a Pixel a bad phone to resell in India?
- Not bad, but thinner. Pixels hold value reasonably well on paper, yet the Indian used market for them is smaller than for Apple or Samsung, so quotes can be less competitive.
- Does buying a higher storage variant improve resale?
- Usually yes in absolute rupees, and often in percentage terms too, because the base variant becomes unattractive to second owners faster.